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When does Jackson require no-arg constructor for deserialization?

In my spring boot project, I noticed a strange Jackson behavior. I searched over internet, found out what to do, but haven't found out why.
UserDto:
#Setter
#Getter
#AllArgsConstructor
public class UserDto {
private String username;
private String email;
private String password;
private String name;
private String surname;
private UserStatus status;
private byte[] avatar;
private ZonedDateTime created_at;
}
Adding a new user works just fine.
TagDto:
#Setter
#Getter
#AllArgsConstructor
public class TagDto {
private String tag;
}
Trying to add a new tag ends with an error:
com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.exc.MismatchedInputException: Cannot construct instance of TagDto (although at least one Creator exists): cannot deserialize from Object value (no delegate- or property-based Creator)
The solution to the problem was to add zero-arg constructor to the TagDto class.
Why does Jackson require no-arg constructor for deserialization in TagDto, while working just fine with UserDto?
Used same method for adding both.
My Tag and User entities are both annotated with
#Entity
#Setter
#Getter
#NoArgsConstructor
and have all args constructors:
#Entity
#Setter
#Getter
#NoArgsConstructor
public class User extends AbstractModel {
private String username;
private String password;
private String email;
private String name;
private String surname;
private UserStatus status;
#Lob
private byte[] avatar;
#Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
private ZonedDateTime created_at;
public User(final String username, final String password, final String email, final String name, final String surname) {
this.username = username;
this.password = password;
this.email = email;
this.name = name;
this.surname = surname;
this.created_at = ZonedDateTime.now();
}
}
#Entity
#Setter
#Getter
#NoArgsConstructor
#AllArgsConstructor
public class Tag extends AbstractModel {
private String tag;
}
#MappedSuperclass
#Getter
public abstract class AbstractModel {
#Id
#GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.AUTO)
private Integer id;
}
Entity generation:
#PostMapping(path = "/add")
public ResponseEntity<String> add(#Valid #RequestBody final D dto) {
this.abstractModelService.add(dto);
return new ResponseEntity<>("Success", HttpStatus.CREATED);
}
public void add(final D dto) {
//CRUD repository save method
this.modelRepositoryInterface.save(this.getModelFromDto(dto));
}
#Override
protected Tag getModelFromDto(final TagDto tagDto) {
return new Tag(tagDto.getTag());
}
#Override
protected User getModelFromDto(final UserDto userDto) {
return new User(userDto.getUsername(), userDto.getPassword(), userDto.getEmail(), userDto.getName(), userDto.getSurname());
}
Error occurs when parsing JSON
{"tag":"example"}
sent via postman localhost:8081/tag/add, returns
{
"timestamp": "2020-09-26T18:50:39.974+00:00",
"status": 400,
"error": "Bad Request",
"message": "",
"path": "/tag/add"
}
I am using Lombok v1.18.12 and Spring boot 2.3.3.RELEASE with Jackson v2.11.2.

TL;DR: Solution is at the end.
Jackson supports multiple ways of creating POJOs. The following lists the most common ways, but it likely not a complete list:
Create instance using no-arg constructor, then call setter methods to assign property values.
public class Foo {
private int id;
public int getId() { return this.id; }
#JsonProperty
public void setId(int id) { this.id = id; }
}
Specifying #JsonProperty is optional, but can be used to fine-tune the mappings, together with annotations like #JsonIgnore, #JsonAnyGetter, ...
Create instance using constructor with arguments.
public class Foo {
private int id;
#JsonCreator
public Foo(#JsonProperty("id") int id) {
this.id = id;
}
public int getId() {
return this.id;
}
}
Specifying #JsonCreator for the constructor is optional, but I believe it is required if there is more than one constructor. Specifying #JsonProperty for the parameters is optional, but is required for naming the properties if the parameter names are not included in the class file (-parameters compiler option).
The parameters imply that the properties are required. Optional properties can be set using setter methods.
Create instance using factory method.
public class Foo {
private int id;
#JsonCreator
public static Foo create(#JsonProperty("id") int id) {
return new Foo(id);
}
private Foo(int id) {
this.id = id;
}
public int getId() {
return this.id;
}
}
Create instance from text value using String constructor.
public class Foo {
private int id;
#JsonCreator
public Foo(String str) {
this.id = Integer.parseInt(id);
}
public int getId() {
return this.id;
}
#JsonValue
public String asJsonValue() {
return Integer.toString(this.id);
}
}
This is useful when a the POJO has a simply text representation, e.g. a LocalDate is a POJO with 3 properties (year, month, dayOfMonth), but is generally best serialized as a single string (yyyy-MM-dd format). #JsonValue identifies the method to be used during serialization, and #JsonCreator identifies the constructor/factory-method to be used during deserialization.
Note: This can also be used for single-value construction using JSON values other than String, but that is very rare.
Ok, that was the background information. What is happening for the examples in the question, it that UserDto works because there is only one constructor (so #JsonCreator is not needed), and many arguments (so #JsonProperty is not needed).
However, for TagDto there is only a single-argument constructor without any annotations, so Jackson classifies that constructor as a type #4 (from my list above), not a type #2.
Which means that it is expecting the POJO to be a value-class, where the JSON for the enclosing object would be { ..., "tag": "value", ... }, not { ..., "tag": {"tag": "example"}, ... }.
To resolve the issue, you need to tell Jackson that the constructor is a property initializing constructor (#2), not a value-type constructor (#4), by specifying #JsonProperty on the constructor argument.
This means that you cannot have Lombok create the constructor for you:
#Setter
#Getter
public class TagDto {
private String tag;
public TagDto(#JsonProperty("tag") String tag) {
this.tag = tag;
}
}

Jackson: remove some values from json and keep some null values

I have a model like this:
public class Employee {
#JsonProperty("emplyee_id")
private Integer id;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_first_name")
private String firstName;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_last_name")
private String lastName;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_address")
private String address;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_age")
private Byte age;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_level")
private Byte level;
//getters and setters
}
now I need to create two JSONs using this (only) model.
the first one must like this for example:
{
"employee_id":101,
"employee_first_name":"Alex",
"employee_last_name":"Light",
"employee_age":null,
"employee_address":null
}
and the second one must like this for example:
{
"employee_id":101,
"employee_level":5
}
by the way, I already tested #JsonIgnore and #JsonInclude(JsonInclude.Include.NON_NULL).
the problem of the first one (as much as I know) is, those fields can't be included in other JSONs (for example if level get this annotation, it won't be included in the second JSON)
and the problem of the second one is, null values can't be included in JSON.
so can I keep null values and prevent some other property to be included in JSON without creating extra models? if the answer is yes, so how can I do it? if it's not I really appreciate if anyone gives me the best solution for this state.
thanks very much.

it could be useful for you using #JsonView annotation
public class Views {
public static class Public {
}
public static class Base {
}
}
public class Employee {
#JsonProperty("emplyee_id")
#JsonView({View.Public.class,View.Base.class})
private Integer id;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_first_name")
#JsonView(View.Public.class)
private String firstName;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_last_name")
#JsonView(View.Public.class)
private String lastName;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_address")
private String address;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_age")
private Byte age;
#JsonProperty("emplyee_level")
#JsonView(View.Base.class)
private Byte level;
//getters and setters
}
in your json response add #JsonView(Public/Base.class) it will return based on jsonview annotations
//requestmapping
#JsonView(View.Public.class)
public ResponseEntity<Employee> getEmployeeWithPublicView(){
//do something
}
response:
{
"employee_id":101,
"employee_first_name":"Alex",
"employee_last_name":"Light",
"employee_age":null,
"employee_address":null
}
for the second one
//requestmapping
#JsonView(View.Base.class)
public ResponseEntity<Employee> getEmployeeWithBaseView(){
//do something
}
response
{
"employee_id":101,
"employee_level":5
}

Spring validation for list of nested class

I have implemented my validation for list of custom class as mention in this post. For reference here my code looks like
class TopDtoForm {
#NotEmpty
private String topVar;
private List<DownDto> downVarList;
//getter and setter
}
class DownDto {
private Long id;
private String name;
//getter and setter
}
#Component
public class TopDtoFormValidator implements Validator {
#Override
public boolean supports(Class<?> clazz) {
return TopDtoForm.class.equals(clazz);
}
#Override
public void validate(Object target, Errors errors) {
TopDtoForm topDtoForm = (TopDtoForm) target;
for(int index=0; index<topDtoForm.getDownVarList().size(); index++) {
DownDto downDto = topDtoForm.getDownVarList().get(index);
if(downDto.getName().isEmpty()) {
errors.rejectValue("downVarList[" + index + "].name", "name.empty");
}
}
}
}
So even I send empty name binding result has 0 error. I tested with topVar and it is working fine. My question is do I have to do any other configuration to say use this validator?
Thanks

In Spring MVC just annotate in TopDtoForm your list with #Valid and add #NotEmpty to DownDto. Spring will validate it just fine:
class TopDtoForm {
#NotEmpty
private String topVar;
#Valid
private List<DownDto> downVarList;
//getter and setter
}
class DownDto {
private Long id;
#NotEmpty
private String name;
//getter and setter
}
Then in RequestMapping just:
#RequestMapping(value = "/submitForm.htm", method = RequestMethod.POST) public #ResponseBody String saveForm(#Valid #ModelAttribute("topDtoForm") TopDtoForm topDtoForm, BindingResult result) {}
Also consider switching from #NotEmpty to #NotBlank as is also checks for white characters (space, tabs etc.)

How to apply Single annotation on multiple variables?

I am rookie in Java Annotation and have been searching for applying single annotation on multiple variable simultaneously.
Code:
#Document(collection = "users")
public class User {
private ObjectId id;
#NotNull
private String email;
private String imageURL;
private String authToken;
private Date createdDate;
private Date updateDate;
private boolean isActivated;
private int credits;
.....getter/Setter Method
I want to apply #NotNull property on email, imageURL and authToken too. I can do it by writing #NotNull to each variable but not preferring. How to do it?

#NotNull annotation can be applied at element not at group of elements.
JavaDoc: The annotated element must not be null. Accepts any type.
If you really want to get away with boiler plate code, you can use frameworks like Lombok which can help you to certain extent.
Link : http://projectlombok.org/features/Data.html
OR you can use reflection to validate all the method.
for (Field f : obj.getClass().getDeclaredFields()) {
f.setAccessible(true); // optional
if (f.get(obj) == null) {
f.set(obj, getDefaultValueForType(f.getType()));
// OR throw error
}
}

Java does not support multiple annotation of this type. But you can write something like this
Create a class with annotated field.
Create setters and getters to access the field.
Create all your name,email field as instance of this class.
This way fields will implicitly annotated as NotNull.
public class NotNullString {
#NotNull
String str;
public void set(String str)
{
this.str = str;
}
public String get()
{
return this.str;
}
}
NotNullString name;
NotNullString email;

JSR-303 Validation on sub-class

I have the following class structure
public Abstract class Person {
private String fullName;
private Address address;
private Phone ;
}
class Staff extends Person{
private String staffId;
}
I want to apply validation using JSR-303 on class Staff whereby Staff address and phone cannot have the value of null. However, I have some other classes that are class of Person where I don't wish to have the validation to be applied.
One way to do this that I could think of is by refactor Person and push the fields 'address' and 'phone' to Staff, but this means refactoring a lot of other classes (and not to mention redundancy this shall cause), and hence something I want to avoid.
Update.
I have changed Staff class, as follows
public class Staff extends Person {
#NotNull
private String staffEmploymentId;
public String getStaffEmploymentId() {
return staffEmploymentId;
}
public void setStaffEmploymentId(String id) {
this.staffEmploymentId = id;
}
#Override
#NotNull
public void setPhones(List<Phone> phones) {
super.phones = phones;
}
#Override
#NotNull
public void setAddress(Address a) {
super.address = a;
}
#Override
#NotNull
public Address getAddress(){
return super.address;
}
}
However, I've got the following error.
javax.validation.ValidationException: Property setAddress does not follow javabean conventions.
I am using Apache BVal, as opposed to Hibernate Validator.

Annotate getters instead of fields using annotations from JSR-330.
You can override getters in Stuff and annotate them.